


Kill Me Softly - What I Sound Like

by Feather_Dancer



Series: Kill Me Softly [5]
Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: One of the engineers I work with is a complete shit for doing the phone thing, Seriously get your act together, These guys are a complete mess, We know you're there just answer the bloody thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-03-10 00:11:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3269483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feather_Dancer/pseuds/Feather_Dancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was another incident just before the event of Scars that started Lewis' change of heart but was not the one who finally started to make him act nicer to the mechanic. Sometimes it's the simple things that we forget and miss the most.</p><p>~~</p><p>Originally inspired by the hella sad oneshot Answering Machine which my brain later dumped the song by Athlete this oneshot is named after with it and thus this happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kill Me Softly - What I Sound Like

Lewis hates the nights the most. His mind gets time to think about very… particular things over and over again despite never actively trying to until one of his friends stumbles out as a rather familiar morning zombie to throw him back with the living with a distinct air of irony.

Scarily, he realises, he is starting to get … used to things. There is no getting around the fact he is dead of course, the life he once had was torn apart because of another he now has to actively be around which still manages to nag at him every time he has a spare moment, but it is slowly becoming a new state of “normal” if that is even possible. His memory is getting better at least and he hasn’t had the temptation to try and gut Arthur for at least three weeks or caused any part of him to burn for one, which is surely breaking new records!

Not that he’d ever voice this to anything other than the Dead Beats of course, he has standards. That and Vivi would find a way to re-kill him within seconds of finding out.

But here they are in the middle of nowhere as far as he can tell, on yet another hunt at Vivi’s behest to try and put the recent craziness behind them with something going right, a decent contract and payment upfront to boot. Best part is no cultists this time! she claimed when she got off the phone from the contact and Lewis did not miss the sheer relief on Arthur’s face.

 

For the moment he is simply floating aimlessly in the middle room of this slightly less dingy than usual motel bored out of his skull with nothing to read and pass the time with. Not sleeping really does make you burn (Ha) through things much faster but not friendly on a limited budget even if you lack of eating ability and not needing as much of the basics buffers it elsewhere.

The last thing he expects though is a Dead Beat to appear looking absolutely thrilled with a find clutched tightly. It chitters with excitement as it floats quickly over to the confused ghost who holds a hand out to see the object for himself. With another chirp, it offers it before swooping behind his shoulder to peer at it in fascination.

“… Did you just steal someone’s phone?”

There is a positive sound from the pink ghost still eyeing it in wonder.

With a distinct hmm Lewis tips it this way and that wondering which one it might be before giving it a tap to switch it on.

“So you swiped it from the bedside table huh. I’m amazed you got distracted enough to leave him to sleep.”

The grin breaking out on it’s face tells it’s own story and earns a chuckle in response. 

“Good, he’s had a few nights, no harm in one ‘slip up’.”

Lewis’ expression drops when the mobile finally loads though. He is greeted by the sight of an old photo of the four of them as the background, _alive_ , along with a stranger feeling that he might remember the day it comes from. He looks at Arthur in vague curiosity to see if the green taint is already there but he feels drawn each time to this strange sight of his own living eyes boring up at him with that dopey grin on his face. He shudders as he absently starts wandering around the icons wondering how the hell anybody can handle such a mess to quickly distract himself away. As if to bug him further though, little twinges keep poking him of tiny fragmented memories as he flicks through the various apps but he simply waves them away.

Some of the music looks familiar however; most don’t but look atrocious by default in his mind. I mean what the hell kind of title is “Run Rabbit Junk”? Or even “Pet Food”? “I Can’t be Cool”? Words honestly fail him.

Lewis feels the slight shrug from the little ghost beside him as he moves onto the photos out of morbid curiosity. Any involving his living self are quickly avoided while any from after he died grab his interest greatly. This is quickly stamped on as well by how disturbingly few there are with Vivi wearing anything but a weary smile until scarily more recently. Has it really been that long since he was murdered? It looks _wrong_ to see her like this. Glancing to the Dead Beat silently whispering something and gets a nod in return.

Letting out a drawn out sigh he looks puzzled when he glances back to the screen and quickly taps away at the new icon.

“Do I even want to know why he has this many answer machine messages? Oy, he never did answer the bloody thing half the time. Hrm, lets see I have no idea who this Lance is, Vivi looks like she left a bunch more recently and a whole ream of unknown numbers,” he muses scrolling down the depths before he pauses, narrowing his eyes.

That one says his name on it.

The larger ghost looks undecided if to touch it or not. It’s the most “recent” one on the phone but not deleted which for Arthur isn’t too surprising. Before he gets chance to talk himself out of it he clicks it.

_Heya Artie, would be nice if you actually answered ‘stead of after I ring for once jeez… I’m sorry, you’re just worrying me with how you’re acting lately I hope you’re okay. Make sure you have your break in ten minutes and I’ll bring some of your favourites home, deal? Think you deserve something nice with how busy you’ve been and I promise I haven’t asked Vi to come check on you so if she does it wasn’t me this time! Kisses_

…

This message was marked saved on –

…

The Dead Beat chirps worriedly as Lewis stares down at the phone in complete silence, he does not even stir as it snuggles under his arm covering a slightly blue tinged heart to try and comfort him until he finally breaks into words after several long drawn out minutes.

“That… That was me. That’s what I sounded like when I was alive. Why… don’t I remember? I… I… He… He… kept this… I …”

He stares completely rigid as it gently pats his face causing his flames to flicker. Absently he presses the button again clutching the phone tightly in his hand hugging his other arm around himself as tears start to flow from his sockets for the first time since reality came crumbling down around him.

_Heya Artie, would be nice if you actually answered -_

 

-

 

_Just need to remind myself_

_That this is what I sounded like_

_And now those times are gone_

_I will live in these memories_

_Of a innocent time gone by_

_The love I had, the love I lost_

_To wonder now where I went so wrong_

_Just need to remind myself_

_That this is what I sounded like_

_…_

_And maybe I can do so again_

**Author's Note:**

> All those songs are real! They're from the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex soundtracks as there's a thing in KMS where Arthur is a bit of a nerd for the series.
> 
> I shall continue to hint away and not say anything about pre-death as it's fun. I've been sitting on this one a while as still not 100% happy with it but my buffer is too low to hold it off any longer.
> 
> There is just something rather special about still being able to hear the voice of someone who has passed even if it's something as silly as multiplayer game recordings. Hang onto it while you can, you never know when you might lose them and they're all you have left.


End file.
